Hello all,

My whim for the week is as follows...

I am thinking of setting up a pre-64 M70 Featherweight, in .270 or .30-06, with a Griffin and Howe sidemount, Leupold 4x scope, and a Lyman receiver sight. The rifle itself will be just as it left the factory, factory stock profile, factory aluminum butt plate, factory barrel contour, etc. etc. Can anyone who has done this, or something very, very similar, comment on the total weight of this setup, and maybe how the rifle balanced and handled?

I'm having fits of nostalgia lately, and this seems like a classic setup!

Thanks in advance,
Bob

I'm guessing 9 1/2 -10 1/2 pounds. Sounds like a nice setup, though I think I would go and find a steel tube Weaver or else a classic Redfield to put on it. Most likely the weaver.

"...Leupold 4x scope, and a Lyman receiver sight..." Don't think you'll get both. At least not without a very high scope mount.

Mark,

9 1/2 to 10 1/2 pounds??? Even with the FEATHERWEIGHT as the foundation??? No offense, but I hope you're guess is a little heavier than reality. I was hoping for something in the 8 to 8 1/2 pound range. I was thinking this setup might do it. If around 10 pounds is the reality I'm either way off on what I thought the old Featherweights weighed, or that G&H mount weighs a lot more than I thought. Where is all the weight coming from to get the total up to the 10 pound (give or take) range?

If I was stuck on having the G&H mount in combination with the Lyman sight, what in the world would I have to do (in terms of barrel contour, stock profile, etc.) to come in around 8 1/2 pounds? This question would pertain more to a custom rifle, but I would be interested in people's thoughts.

I've given some thought to going with a period scope, I'm afraid I'm too used to modern optical quality. Although, I admittedly don't have much experience with the older scopes. How do they compare? Another thing I've thought about is this... Is there anyone that "restores" old scopes and replaces the original glass with modern/higher quality optics. I would think there would be at least some demand for such work with people, like myself, who are a little too fond of the older look.

Thanks and keep the estimates coming,
Bob

Bobvthunter: Another period scope you might consider with incredibly good optics is the Leupold Westerner. This superb scope is a straight 8 power with an adjustable objective. I have owned many of these in the past but presently I am down to just 2 of them. These scopes and all componenets (including optics) were made in America!
Yeah, a pre-64 Model 70 Featherweight in 270 with a Leupold Westerner would be a slick and nostalgic rig. It gives me real bad heartburn (and gas) thinking about installing a Griffin & Howe side mount on such a wonderful Rifle though. Please reconsider that. By the way there were many many featherweights with plastic buttplates produced also.
I have a full set (all 6 calibers [243 Win., 308 Win., 358 Win., 270 Win., 30/06 and 264 Win.] and several duplicates of some) of pre-64 Model 70 Featherweights. The highlight of my Featherweight collection is two mint condition Rifles in caliber 358 Winchester. I also have 2 Gopher Special Featherweights (these were special order Rifles made with no sights at all).
The 270 Featherweights always bring a premium in top condition because they are VERY rare in that caliber in that condition. Simply because people that bought that model used them for Hunting and condition faded quickly.
Good luck on your project and please reconsider the value destroying Griffin & Howe sidemount.
6 pounds 9 ounces is the weight of one of my Featherweight 270's. No scope, mounts or sling on that Rifle.
If I might share this with you. I remember loosing a grudge match, 200 yard shooting contest long ago to an old friend of mine. He was shooting a pre-64 Winchester Featherweight Model 70 in caliber 270 Winchester! It was scoped with a Leupold Westerner scope. He was shooting 90 grain handloaded bullets. I was shooting my very new Ruger #1-B in 6mm Remington. I had a Redfield 3X9 scope on my nifty Rifle and had shot some very impressive groups with it. The serial number on that Ruger #1-B was 1,300! That will give a clue to how long ago this contest occurred! I shot well that day but my friend shot a 5 shot group at 200 yards of .9"! Back in those days that was SENSATIONAL shooting! More damage was done to my ego than my pocketbook that afternoon but I never forgot the performance of that Featherweight Model 70. That Model 70 also killed many many Mule Deer in the Okanogan country of Washington State.
Again good luck on your project!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

My Mod 70 Fwt (30-06) with Redfield mounts and Leupold 2 1/2 power scope weighs about 7 1/2 pounds.

VG and t-bob,
Thanks for the new weight estimates. That's a little more in the neighboorhood I was thinking. Actually, a little lighter than I thought. I would really like to stay in that 8-8 1/2 pound window (not much over or under) that I stated earlier. Too much under and the recoil might get more than I want for sustained bench sessions (I admit I'm a recoil wimp!) or the rifle might not be as steady for field shooting. Too much over and, well, you have a heavy rifle. What is your experience with the balance and handling, particularly for field shooting, with scoped Featherweights? I have 2 Standards that are a bit heavier than I like, but they are wonderfully steady in the field. I would like to maintain that "shootability" in a lighter rifle.

VG,
Sorry about the indigestion over the G&H mount! I really want a scope mount system that allows a backup receiver sight to be mounted. I'm open to suggestions, but the G&H is the one that I am most familiar with. I know that with today's optics there isn't as much need for backup sights, but it will give me a little more piece of mind to know it's there. And again, it's classic, which is what I'm going for!

Thanks,
Bob

Bob, try talley rings and bases with the removable Talley rear peep sight. Makes for a better scope mount that the G&H and you won't end up drilling holes in the side of another pre 64, it is a federal offense here, okay it isn't but it ought to be.